Take Care of Me
by Tatsurou-san
Summary: Written as a B-Day present for a friend on DeviantArt. Beast Boy falls ill, and Raven volunteers to care for him.
1. Chapter 1

Take Care of Me

"Alright, everyone, time for today's training schedule..." Robin began, but he stopped. "Where's Beast Boy?"

"Probably still asleep," Cyborg said, rolling his eye. "You know how he is."

"He did seem less than his usual excitable self last night," Starfire commented. "He went to bed earlier than usual, if I recall."

"By three whole hours," Raven commented in an aside, "and he didn't stir the entire night. He usually tosses and turns a bit."

Everyone turned to stare at her. "And how would you know that?" Cyborg asked suggestively.

Raven glared at him. "Empath," she said blandly.

"Well, why don't you go wake him up then," Robin said decisively. "We'll wait."

Raven glared at Robin, then turned and stormed out. Truth to tell, she was worried about the green changeling - not that she'd even admit it to herself - and was glad of the excuse to check on him. Course, she'd never admit that to Robin or the others.

She got to his room and banged on the door. "Beast Boy, get up." SHe waited quietly, than banged again. "Beast Boy!" She waited for a time, then forced the door open.

He was laying in his bead, flat on his back, eyes closed. Raven came up to him. "Come on," she said calmly, although she was anything but calm. "Time to wake up." THis wasn't right. He normally slept curled up around something, or on his side. THis...this looked more like he'd laid himself out.

When she got closer, she saw he was sweating. His eyes opened blearily. "Rae..." His voice sounded scratchy. "I don't feel so good..."

Raven sat and rested a hand on his forehead...then jerked it back. "Azar! YOu're burning."

He chuckled weakly. "I always told you I was hot stuff..." he mumbled, then coughed weakly.

Raven turned towards the door. "Robin! Cyborg! Star! Get in here! Beast Boy needs help!"

Cyborg ran tests once they got to the medical wing. RObin paced, and Starfire fretted. Beast Boy struggled to breathe. Raven...just sat there, right next to the slab, staring at Beast Boy.

Cyborg got the test results back...and cursed.

"What's wrong with him?" Raven demanded before anyone else could react.

Cyborg shook his head. "It's his unstable DNA. It's...deteriorating."

"What do you mean?" Raven's voice had a touch of panic to it.

"His DNA has always been unstable, but...after what happened with the Beast, an inherent flaw in the make up has spun out of control...and now his DNA can no longer maintain its own stability."

"So," Robin started, "how long's he gonna be like this?"

Cyborg shook his head. "Maybe days, maybe hours...but until he dies."

"NO!" Starfire was on the verge of tears. "Friend Beast Boy cannot die!"

Raven clutched Beast Boy's hand without thinking, unable to speak.

"THere's...there's nothing I can do." Cyborg covered his human eye, hiding his tears.

"Beast Boy..." Robin began quietly. THe alarm went off. "Trouble! ..." Robin looked towards Beast Boy, unwilling to give the order in the face of Beast Boy's condition.

"Go..." Beast Boy whispered. "You're needed out there. I'll...be okay. It's not like I'm going anywhere..."

Robin nodded. "Okay, someone needs to stay with Beast Boy. Cy-"

"I'll stay," Raven said flatly, not even looking at Robin.

Robin nodded slowly. "Okay. Do what you can for him."

Raven nodded absently as the others rushed to the mission. Placing her hands on Beast Boy's arm, she called on her magic, trying to fix what was wrong with him.

It felt like she was pouring herself into a well that would never fill. No matter how much magic she wielded, Beast Boy kept slipping away from her. "Don't you do this, Garfield," she whispered. "DOn't you dare go and die on me."

Beast Boy chuckled. "Don't worry, Rae. I'll be just fine...in just a bit." He coughed.

"DOn't speak," she said quickly. "It's too much for you just now."

He smiled at her. "But if I shut up now...then I'll be admitting this is serious...you know I never shut up."

She shook her head. "Now I know you'll get better...you made a joke." Her voice belied the sentiment of her words, though. It was on the verge of breaking, and her lip quivered. SHe felt him start to slip.

"It's okay, Rae...I lived a good life...it's okay if it's my time now..." He coughed for a time, and she held his shoulders until the spasm passed. "Besides," he said, his eyes starting to close slowly, "at least I get to spend...my last moments...with the one I...love the most..."

Raven felt her heart stop. In desperation, she pulled forth all the magic she had and flung herself, body and soul, into the struggle to keep him with her. "DOn't you dare," she whispered. "DOn't you dare just say that and leave, you hear me. You're not that much of a coward!" Her emotions - rage, fear, love, pain - swirled through her voice and magic. "Don't you dare...leave me..." She felt him start to slip away. "Don't leave me...alone..." Her grip on her magic - on the world around her - started to slip.

"Raven...it's my time..." Garfield was trying to be reasonable. BEast Boy, reasonable!

"Not without me, Gar..." Raven's voice started to trail off as her grip on life began to slip from the amount of magic she was expending.

Beast Boy saw what was happening. He was dying, but he was taking Raven with her. He couldn't let that happen. Something deep inside his soul shifted. His body changed, and feathers sprouted from his skin.

His body felt like fire.

The rest of the team left the villain tied up when they saw the explosion at the tower. They rushed back as fast as they could go. Once there, they rushed to the medical lab.

Beast Boy and Raven lay curled up to each other on the slab. The entire room looked like it had been blasted by some sort of fire. Luckily, some of the equipment was still functional. The outside wall simply wasn't there anymore.

Cyborg ran forward and checked both Beast Boy and Raven. "They're alive...just sleeping, although Raven looks slightly singed." He ran a deeper bio scan. "I...I don't believe it. Beast Boy, he's...stabilized. Or at least as stable as he ever gets." Tears streamed from his human eye.

"Then...then our friend is no longer dying?" Starfire had a look of disbelieving hope on her face. At Cyborg's nod, she squealed with joy. "Oh how wondorous! I shall make a pudding of miraculous recovery to celebrate!"

*I swear she's making that up,* Cyborg thought to himself.

"I'm not so sure it's a miracle, Star," Robin said, somewhat calmly. He picked up something from the floor. They all looked at it closely.

It looked like a feather...made of green fire. 


	2. Chapter 2

Take Care of Me Part 2

Well, enough requests - including from the birthday girl - came in for an extension that this story is being expanded. YAY!

Raven woke up slowly, her eyes blurry. Blinking, she looked around. She was in her room, in her bed. Okay, that was normal. She felt like she should remember something, but she was so tired...she just wanted to sleep...

"Beast Boy!" She tried to push herself up out of the bed, but she fell to the floor. She could barely move. And her voice...she had tried to shout, but she'd barely made any noise. What was wrong with her?

The door slid open. "Friend Raven! You must rest! Friend Cyborg says your vitals are still incredibly weak!" Starfire picked her up like she was a doll and put ehr back into bed.

"But...Beast Boy, he's dying...I need to be with him..." Raven could barely speak. She wasn't even able to struggle against Starfire's strength.

"Friend Beast Boy is stable now. He is no longer dying. Friend Cyborg thinks it is a miracle, but friend Robin thinks it has something to do with the feather. Tell me, friend Raven, did you save friend Beast Boy?"

Raven tried to work her way through what Star had just said. "Star...I don't understand...I can barely think right now...just take me to Beast Boy, please."

Starfire shook her head. "I cannot. Friend Cyborg says you must remain here until-"

"TAKE ME TO BEAST BOY, NOW!" Her four eyes open and red, Raven's voice suddenly had more strength than it should have had.

"But friend Cyborg says you must be laying down, and Beast Boy's bed is too small for two people to lay comfortably," Star said, qualing in the face of Raven's rage.

Raven's sudden strength departed, leaving her even weaker than before. "Then...bring him in here...my bed's certainly big enough..." Raven started to doze again.

Starfire flew out of the room, partially terrified, but at the same time...intruiged, and hopeful.

Beast Boy's eyes snapped open. He was in his room, and Cyborg was standing over him, taking readings. "Raven?" he tried to ask, but his voice came out a croak, barely audible and almost illegible.

Cyborg understood though. "Raven's in her room, BB. She's doing just fine, and so are you...somehow." Cyborg wiped his human eye, and Beast Boy realized he'd been crying.

"..." Beast Boy tried to say something, but his voice failed him. He tried to move his arm, but it was like he had no energy. What was wrong with him?

"YOu gave us qwuite a fright there, Beast Boy," Robin said, stepping into Beast Boy's line of sight. "Any chance you could tell us how you recovered?"

Beast Boy tried to shrug. All he could remember was Raven being willing to die with him...and doing something to prevent that. He had no idea what, though. All he could remember was the shift inside, the feathers...and fire.

He glanced down at himself. His uniform was gone, but that didn't tell him anything. He sighed. Answers could come later. Really, he wanted to make sure Raven was okay. He tried to lever himself out of bed.

"Woah! Easy there, BB! Where do you think you're going?" Cyborg put out a hand to stop his movement.

"Raven..." Beast Boy managed to squeak out.

"Now, I really don't you think you should be disturbing her right now, she's recovering from...whatever it was too, after all-"

The door burst open. "Excuse me, my friends, but Raven demands that Beast Boy be brought to her now. She was most insistent."

"Star," Robin began reasonably. "They're both in recovery. I'm not sure we should-"

"She gave me the demon eyes, friend Robin. I think we should bring him to her before she tries to come to him."

Cyborg nodded. "I agree with Star there. If Raven wants him there, I'm not about to argue. I don't want her angry with me when she fully recovers."

Robin nodded. "That's a good point. Pick him up."

Cyborg scooped Beast Boy up easily, and carrried him over to Raven's room. When they got there, she was awake, barely, and smiled when she saw Beast Boy. "Hey..." she said weakly.

Beast Boy waved back.

Cyborg laid him down on the bed next to Raven, still wrapped in the sheet from his bed. Raven rolled over and curled into him, and they were both asleep within moments.

The others tiptoed aour of the room.

"Umm..." Robin began. "Is it entirely appropriate to leave them like that...when they're both naked?"

"What? As weak as they are, you think you're going to try something?" Cyborg asked suggestively, with his eyebrow raised.

"No...I just don't think it's appropriate is all."

"Tell you what, leader boy," Cyborg said sarcastically. "WHen they're better, you can complain to Raven about it. I'll be in the next county, safe from the fallout."

Robin was quiet for a time. "I see your point."

In the room,behind closed doors, Raven and Beast Boy held each other close, taking comfort and strength from each other's presence.


	3. Chapter 3

Take Care of Me 3

Raven opened her eyes slowly again. The first thing she noticed was being very warm, and curled up to something that radiated a lot of heat. As her eyes focused, she saw a wall of green in front of her. She blinked a few times. She was staring at Beast Boy's chest.

Smiling, she looked upward. His eyes were open, staring down at her. "Hey," he said quietly.

"Hey," she said back.

They lay there for a while, just staring into each others eyes. Then Raven shifted a little. "Beast Boy, we need to talk."

Beast Boy nodded, to tired to wince. "Okay."

"About...about what happened in the med lab..." she began carefully.

"Before you continue, Raven, let me say something." She nodded at his insistence."Raven, I love you. I have for years, and I wish I had the courage to tell you sooner. I'm sorry I told you the way I did. I just hope you can forgive me."

Raven managed to quirk up an eyebrow. "Beast Boy...do you think you'd be sleeping in my bed right now if forgiveness was an issue?"

Beast Boy chuckled weakly. "Point made." He fell silent, letting her gather her thoughts and strength to respond.

Raven shifted. "Beast Boy...how do you know you love me?"

Beast Boy tilted his head. "I don't know...I just know. It's, I don't know...instinct? Need? Something deeper? It's hard to explain."

Raven sighed, averting her gaze. "Beast Boy...I don't know if I love you."

Now it was Beast Boy's turn to raise an eyebrow. "But you were ready to throw yourself into death tot ry and save me, even when you knew it would only kill you too."

She looked down. "That's because...after what you said...I couldn't bear to picture myself living without you. If...if you were gone, my life would be empty. I...I never looked at it like this before, or would have admitted it if I had...but your every joke, your every quirk, everything you do to make me smile and laugh...I need it to live as much as I need air and food." She shook her head, not thinking she was making sense.

"YOu mean...you need me to live?" he asked, his eyes wide. She nodded. He lifted her chin gently to face him. "Raven...THAT'S love."

"It...it is?"

"That's how I feel about you. Without you in my life, I'd have no reason to go on. That's what it means to love, Raven, and I love you."

SHe felt her eyes fill with tears. "Beast Boy..." She buried her face against his chest and let her tears fall. "...I love you..." she whispered at last.

Outside the room, Starfire quietly squealed at what she and the others had just overheard. "Oh, I am so happy for our dear friends. This is truely a time of miracles!" Starfire completely ignored the fact that, far from being the Christmas season, it was mid June.

"Oh, man...Raven's gonna kill us when she finds out we eavesdropped on this..." Cyborg fretted back and forth. While he had just meant to make sure they were both okay, he hadn't realized what he would overhear.

"Calm down, Cyborg. Let's just leave them to their own devices now." Robin spoke calmly, but inside he was just as happy as Star. While he still wanted answers, he was glad to see that Beast Boy and Raven would be happy, if nothing else. He motioned, and he and the others tiptoed quietly away from Raven's door.

Inside Raven's room, Raven was surprised at Beast Boy's chuckle. "What's so funny?" she asked, one eyebrow raised.

He smiled. "Cyborg thinks he can tiptoe."

Raven's eyes widened, then narrowed. "Remind me to kill him later."

"Robin and Starfire, too? They were listening, too."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"I didn't know until I heard Star squeal."

"...just Robin, then. Star means well, after all."

They lay in each other's arms for a while. Then Beast Boy noticed something that made him somewhat uncomfortable.

"Umm...Raven?"

"Yeah?"

"...we're both naked, aren't we?"

Raven blinked, then looked down at herself. She was indeed naked, and curled up against Beast Boy's...naked chest. And judging by what she could feel against her stomach...he was naked, too, and starting to recover.

"Umm...ah...er..." For once, Raven was at a loss for words. 


	4. Chapter 4

Take Care of Me 4

Starfire came into Raven's room the next morning with a tray for her two friends. "Good morning, my friends! Friend Cyborg says you both need to eat hearty so as to regain your strength!" She pauses when she sees the position they're in. "Oh, have I done the interrupting of something?"

"NO!" they both responded simultaneously. Both had what looked like a permanent blush on their cheeks.

"Oh, well you can not be eating on your sides. Here." Setting the trays down, she gently rolled the two of them apart. Then she saw what was causing the two of them to blush, as the sheets didn't hide shapes well. "Meep!" Star shot backward, then set Beast Boy's tray down on his lap. "I shall get one of the boys to help Beast Boy eat," she said, and zoomed out, her face bright red.

Beast Boy couldn't help it. He laughed. Raven glared at him for a bit, but then the ridiculousness of the situation hit her as well, and she joined in.

After a time, Raven calmed down and reached for her tray. She found she was actually strong enough to try and eat. She took a sip of the broth...then immediately spat it out, staring at the bowl in sonfusion.

"What's wrong with it, Rae?"

"It's...chicken soup. I LIKE chicken soup." Raven stared at the bowl as if it could explain this mystery to her. "But for some reason, this soup tastes horrible."

Beast Boy sniffed the air. "Nothing prankish in there." He sniffs his own bowl. He manages to take a sip. "My tofu soup tastes just fine. Why not give it a try?"

She looked at him, her eyebrow raised. "YOu know I don't like tofu."

"YOu need to eat something."

She sighed, took the bowl from the tray, and took a small sip.

Beast Boy watched, one eyebrow quirked up, as Raven proceeded to drink the entire bowl. "Still don't like it?"

Cyborg came in to help BB eat and saw Raven eating the tofu. "Raven...that was BB's bowl."

She set the empty bowl down. "The chicken soup tasted...wrong. DOn't know why."

Cyborg shook his head and moved to collect the trays. "I'll bring you a fresh bowl, BB." As he picked up the tray, he paused. "Dude! Can't you control yourself?"

"Not at the moment," Beast Boy commented, embarrassed.

"Aw...dude!" Beast Boy turned around. "I so did not need to see that..." He left, shaking his head.

Raven lay back, her strength expended. "How long is it going to take to recover fully?"

"What? Eager to rush off somewhere?" Beast Boy asked jokingly.

"No. Just eager to get dressed. I'm not exactly comfortable with the entire team seeing me in the altogether." She glanced down at him, then back up to his face. "You need clothes, too. You are entirely too comfortable with the situation."

BEast Boy chuckled nervously. 


	5. Chapter 5

Take Care of Me 5

The next day, Raven was finally able to stand up and walk around a bit. With Starfire's help, she was able to get dressed, which was a big releif for her. Then she had to lay back down.

Beast Boy still wasn't able to move too much, and his energy was really low. Raven was worried about him. Although he wasn't getting worse, he wasn't getting better either.

She could feel her magic returning slowly, and wonered if she might be able to do something with it to help him recover...or at least take better care of him.

She stared down at their meal. Both of them were now eating strict vegetarian, which confused Raven. Before, she couldn't stand tofu, and had always liked Cyborg's meat concoctions, although she didn't make a fuss about it. Now, though, the taste of real meat made her nauseous, and she found that Beast Boy's tofu meals were actually...quite good.

She shelved her thoughts on this matter, focusing instead on Beast Boy. She needed to do something for him. Even her magic couldn't help him right now. He needed someone who could tend to him full time. If only there were more of her...

She took another look at that thought, turning it over in her mind. THe more she thought about it, the more sense it made. He'd be somewhere where his needs could be seen to, where he would feel safe, and where she would always have an eye on him. And she'd be able to recover more easily as well. Making her decision, she got to her feet and walked over to her desk, sitting down in her chair.

"What are you up to, Raven?" Beast Boy asked, concerned.

"I think I've thought of something I can do...to take better care of you. Gie you what you need right now," she answered, rummaging in her drawer.

"But Raven, you can barely move yourself. How are you going to-" he stopped. His mind had taken two and two together...and gotten magic.

She pulled something out of the drawer. "YOu're right. I'm physically exhausted..." She showed him the mirror. "But not emotionally."

"Raven...are you sure?" Beast Boy was concerned. After all, they were getting nervous about the implication of sexual behaviors between them from being naked in bed together...and to his mind, this was much more intimate.

She shrugged her shoulders slightly. "It's not like you aren't on my mind all day, anyway." She held the mirror out to him. THe portal opened.

As the portal closed behind him, she sighed tiredly. Opening the portal had taken more out of her than she had expected, and she was exhausted again. Staggering back to the bed, she fell down into the warm spot Beast Boy had just vacated. Although she would miss being curled up to him in body, somehow it still felt like he was right there as she fell into slumber.

Beast Boy opened his eyes. He looked around. "Umm...did I take the wrong portal? This place looks like something out of Arabian Nights."

He heard a throaty chuckle. "I'm glad you like it."

Turning his head, he saw Raven...but she was dressed differently. For one, her outfit was a dark lavender with hints of red, so this was one of her emotions. For another thing, though...the outfit looked right out of Arabian Nights as well...specifically, a harem girl outfit.

"This is my domain, and I made it up just so I could take care of you, Beastie Boo." She walked up to him an started gently stroking his hair.

"Umm...I don't believe I've met you," Beast Boy said, a little nervously.

"No, you haven't. And I can't really do all I want to do with you right now. For one, you're not strong enough. And for another, it wouldn't be right to take the right of first time away from Raven." She chuckled again. "SO when it does happen, make sure it's worth the wait, okay, lover boy?"

Beast Boy sweatdropped. "So...you're gonna be nursing me back to health?"

"Well...not alone, certainly. Everyone wants to help." She gestured, and Beast Boy let his gaze follow.

Happy was holding a plate of grapes, wearing a big smile. Brave was gently cracking her knuckles. Timid was holding a leaf fan. A few others were there, who he seemed to recognize without knowing. Knowledge, the yellow one with glasses, carried a few pillows. Wisdom, the serene brown one, carried several comic books. Affection, the one in lavender, carried a juice bottle. Their outfits, however, were identical in design to the one worn by the Raven massaging his hair at the moment.

By the door to this domain, Rage stood in red, and another one in Orange stood at the other side of the portal, belching. *She must be Rude,* Beast Boy thought, surprised Raven even had that side. Rage and Rufe were leaning on ceremonial spears, watching him. They were dressed in...provocatively designed metal armor.

Seeing the question in his eyes, Knowledge pointed. "Her realm, her rules. She is the strongest of us at the moment, save for Affection, who's in on it."

Affection giggled, and explained further. "The more Raven feels a given emotion, the stronger that emotion gets within Nevermore."

As the Raven's approached, Beast Boy looked up at the first one. It was amazing how well his brain was working right now. "You're Lust, aren't you?"

Lust chuckled wickedly. "Darn right." She waved the others around, and they began to tend to him.

Beast Boy shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts of...certain things. *Raven's gonna be pissed about this, for sure...* 


	6. Chapter 6

Take Care of Me 6

The next day, Raven felt strong enough to walk around the Tower for a bit. She left her room, heading purposefully for the common room. When she entered, all eyes turned towards her.

"RAVEN!" Starfire shouted, flying towards her. She embraced her friend, but gently. "You have recovered?" she asked hopefully.

"Not completely, Star," Raven said slowly. "But I'm getting there."

"Where's BB? He up an' at 'em yet?" Cyborg asked curiously.

Raven shook her head. "Beast Boy's still not getting any better. Not sure why."

"I'll go check on him-" Cyborg started, getting to his feet.

"Don't bother," Raven said. "I'm keeping an eye on him." She smiled at the joke only Cyborg would get. "Several sets of eyes, in point of fact."

Robin and Star looked confused. Cyborg's human eye widened. "Raven...what did you do?"

She smiled. "Let's just say he's on my mind a lot more than usual, shall we." She walked to the kitchen and opened the fridge, absently pulling out some tofu. "I hope Beast Boy doesn't mind me eating all his tofu," she mumbled absently.

Cyborg grinned. "I seriously doubt if you could do anything to him at this point that would seriously upset him," he said with a laugh.

"I know you three were eavesdropping the other day," she said simply. As everyone froze at that flat comment, she held up the tofu carton. "Anyone know how to cook this?"

"Here, I'll handle that!" Cyborg said quickly, eager to ingratiate himself so as to avoid her wrath once she was recovered.

Starfire floated over, smiling. "Friend Raven, let me just say how happy I am that you and friend Beast Boy have discovered the sharing of the feelings of love for each other as boyfriend Robin and I have, and are now the couple!"

Raven glanced at her. "Thanks," she said simply, smiling and blushing.

"Although I must say I feel you two have done the moving too fast as far as the physical side of your relationship...although from what I saw of friend Beast Boy's girth, I cannot say I blame you."

Cyborg choked. Robin looked up shocked. Raven turned bright red. "We haven't done anything!" she insisted, wishing she had her cloak so she could pull up her hood. "We were just cuddling. It was hardly our fault you put us in bed together nude!"

Cyborg broke into a coughing fit to disguise his laughter. Starfire turned bright red and mumbled a "sorry." Robin was turning alternately red and pale as various unwelcome thoughts crossed his mind.

Raven sighed and sat down at the table. Happily, she ate the meal Cyborg prepared for her in silence. After she finished, she headed over to where Robin was studying something intently. "What have you got there?" she asked, curious.

He looked up. "I've been trying to figure out how Beast Boy was able to repair the destabalizing of his DNA. I found this in the wreckage of the med lab, and I think it might have something to do with it, but I can't figure out what it is." He holds up the feather, which still burns with green fire.

Raven glowers at him. "Well, it's rather obvious if you think about it. Any animal Beast Boy turns into is green, whatever its natural coloring. Now what animal has feathers made of living fire?"

Robin smacked his head. "Of course! He turned into a Pheonix, and a pheonix is reborn from its own ashes when it dies. He didn't survive, he regenerated himself!"

"And me, too," Raven said, staring at the feather. "That's why we've both been so tired lately. It took all the both of us had to let him turn into a magical creature that powerful." Suddenly her hand snaked forward, siezing the feather. "And this is why he's not recovering like I am!"

"What do you mean?" Robin asked, standing up.

"This feather...it's his. A pheonix has a lot more life force than a human being, and one feather contains enough concentrated life force to raise the dead if used properly. This feather holds the life energy he's been missing. That's why he's not recovering." She tries to get up, but can't. "Star, in my room, on my desk...there's a mirror. Could you bring it here for me...without looking into the glass?"

"Certainly, friend Raven, but why-"

"It's not actually a mirror...it's a portal."

Starfire nods, and flies off.

"A portal?" Robin asked, nervous about talk of portals where Raven was concerned. "A portal to where?"

"Where Beast Boy is," she responded flatly.

"I'd like to check on him," Robin said, as Cyborg looked a little panicked.

Raven shrugged. "Sure, I guess you could all come this once."

Starfire brought the mirror back. "Is this it?"

"Yes, Star, thank you." She truned to everyone. "You're about to go somwhere I've kept absolutely private the entire time I've been here. Only Beast Boy and Cyborg know about this." She holds up the mirror. "This mirror is a tool for meditation." Black light shines from the glass. "It's a portal into my mind." They are all sucked in.

As they arrive, Raven stands up and stretches. As she thought, her vital energy didn't have to work as hard to move her in the realm of her own mind.

Everyone looked around. They had landed in a small, quiet room, with lavender walls. Pasted up on the walls were images of everyone Raven cared for: Robin, Starfire, Cyborg, Melvin, TImmy, Teether, a few of the other Titans...but mostly pictures of Beast Boy in all his various modes, faces, forms, and moods.

Robin looked around cautiously. "Well, umm..." He wasn't sure how to deal with this.

Cyborg shook his head. "Well...wonder if we'll meet this emotion..."

Starfire smacked her fist into her palm. "Oh, you told me of this, friend Raven, how each emotion had their own realm within your mind. Perchance, is this the realm of your Affection?"

Raven nodded. "That's right Star. This is Affection's realm." She frowned. "And this is where they were supposed to be keeping Beast Boy."

"Not here," said a small voice. It came from a four eyed cartoonish black bird perched on a bookshelf. "Sent somewhere more comfy. I show way." The bird turned and flew towards a door.

Raven followed. "Come on...I guess Affection decided to care for Beast Boy somewhere other than her own realm...which is odd." They followed her.

Passing through the door, they entered into another realm...and two spears suddenly crossed in front of them.

"Who dares?" demanded Rage.

Raven sighed. "Rage, it's me." She suddenly noticed Rage's state of attire. "Rage, what is that thing you're...NOT wearing?"

Rage shrugged as she and Rude shifted their spears. "Lust makes the rules in her own realm. You know that."

Raven's eyes went wide. "She DIDN'T!" she snapped, and rushed in. The others followed.

Beast Boy was laying back amongst a pile of comfy looking cushions. Wisdom was carefully masaging his scalp, while knowledge held a comic book for him to read, although he wasn't really paying attention to it at the moment. Happy was, well happily, feeding him grapes one at a time, while Brave held the juice for him...with a twisty straw. Timid was waving a leaf fan over his head, while partially trying to hide behind it, and Affection was gently masaging the muscles of his arms and legs.

What had caught Beast Boy's eyes - and now everyone else's - was Lust. While the other emotions were still dressed in the Arabian style harem outfits, Lust was dressed for what was commonly called 'The Dance of Veils'. Her outfit consisted entirely of layered veils of varying thickness, and she was dancing rythmically around in front of Beast Boy, and every so often, she would allow one of the veils to fall away. By the time the others arrived, what veils were left covered little, and left less to the imagination.

"Lust!" Raven snapped. "What do you think you're doing?"

Lust stopped her dance and smiled at Raven. "Nothing you wouldn't do with the proper motivation. The only reason I even know about it is because you researched it, after all." Tossing her head, she walked sensually away, letting everyone get a good view of her.

Raven hung her head, burning with embarrasment.

"Friend Raven?" Starfire asked.

"Yes, Starfire?" Raven feared what the next question might be.

It wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. "That dance looked like it was much fun. Pray, might you teach it to me when you are recovered?"

Robin promptly collapsed, blood leaking from his nose as rather specific images filled his brain.

Raven rolled her eyes. "Sure, Starfire. When I'm recovered." She walked up and sat down on the bed next to Beast Boy. "You seem to have made youself comfortable."

"Eh heh heh...Raven, this wasn't my idea at all-"

"I know," Raven interrupted him. She glanced around. "Tell me Beast Boy...do you like seeing me in those outfits?"

Beast Boy thought for a time. Then he smiled. "I like frosting."

"Huh?" Somehow, Beast Boy's thought process always managed to catch her off guard.

"Raven...you're asking the wrong question. The outfits are nice, sure...pretty provocative...but it's YOU I like seeing. The rest is just icing on the cake, as the saying goes. And I like frosting."

Raven rolled his eyes at his choice of metaphor.

"A good way of putting it," Lust said, coming back in in the harem outfit. "Especially since Raven's a cake you can have AND eat...the best kind," she said, licking her lips suggestively.

Beast Boy and Raven turned bright red. Timid attempted to hide behind her leaf fan.

Raven sighed, and held out the feather. "You lost something." She placed it against his skin. The feather disappeared into his flesh.

His skin, which had seemed a little pale before, took on a much healthier glow. "Wow...I feel a lot better now."

"I'm glad," Raven said. They gazed at each other for a time. Cyborg quietly got directions from Rage as to the way out, and left with Robin and Starfire.

Beast Boy smiled at Raven. "SO...does this mean I can go back to sleeping in your bed, now?" He winced. "That didn't sound as naughty in my head..."

Raven looked at him. "What? Don't like it in here?"

Beast Boy smiled. "If it's a choice between being pampered and petted by all your emotions in skimpy outfits, or falling asleep curled up to the real you..." He took her hand in his. "Raven, that's a choice I don't even have to think about."

Raven smiled, blushing, and leaned in and kissed him gently. "Then let me get you to bed, Garfield." With help from her emotions, she picked him up and carried him through the portal, back into her room. 


	7. Chapter 7

Take Care of Me 7

Beast Boy slept soundly as Raven got up and stretched. He lay curled up in her bed, a happy smile on his face. She smiled at him, and chuckled softly. To think he'd happily traded an Arabian fantasy just to sleep next to her...she still felt touched at his words.

Heading out of her room quietly, she went to get something to eat. Seeing she was the only one up at the moment, she went to the fridge and pulled out some tofu. She saw there was a lot more than there had been the other day. There was a note pinned to it.

"Raven, don't tell BB I got more of his crap tofu. BB, if you're reading this, it's a lie! A LIE!  
-Cyborg"

Raven chuckled, and pulled out some tofu. Without really thinking about it, she cooked it up, letting her mind wander back to the last time she'd seen Beast Boy cooking it. She remembered every hand motion, every seasoning, every smirk...

Without realizing it, she finished cooking it. She stared at it worriedly. She remembered what the other Titans had said about her cooking before. Gingerly, she tasted it...and found it delicious. She wondered how she could have ever found tofu disgusting.

Eating her meal rapidly, she got up to return to her room and check on Beast Boy, maybe read a book if he was still asleep...when her eyes wandered over the gamestation. She walked up to it.

It was stupid. It was a waste of time. And yet, Beast Boy got so much enjoyment out of playing on it...What appeal could it possibly have?

Not sure what was motivating her, she picked a game disc at random and started up the system.

Beast Boy opened his eyes, yawned, and stretched. He felt much stronger today, not quite up to shapeshifting, but up to walking around at least. Walking out of the room, he passed by Raven's bookcase, and a book caught his eye. He looked closer at it, and picked it up off the shelf without really thinking. Flipping it open, he read as he walked.

When he got to the common room, he noticed Raven had made up a cup of her tea but left it untouched. He didn't think he could handle solid food just now, so he asked, "Mind if I have this, Raven?"

"Go ahead," she said, her eyes glued to the screen.

"Thanks." He picked it up and sipped at it as he read. "Not bad," he mumbled, continuing to read. He sat down on the couch next to Raven as he continued to read and drink tea.

Just as everyone else entered the room, Beast Boy asked, "Say, Raven, think you could turn it down a bit? It's kinda loud."

The game wasn't anywhere near as loud as the clang as the rest of the team's jaws hit the floor. Cyborg's cybernetics began playing the Twilight Zone theme for no apparent reason. 


	8. Chapter 8

Take Care of Me 8

After a rather intense video game tournament amongst all the Titans - which, unbelievably enough, Raven won - Raven and Beast Boy walked back to her room, as it was starting to get late. Leaning on each other, laughing together the whole way, they both thought about everything that had been happening. As their laughter started to die down, they started thinking about how they had changed. Raven liking video games and tofu? Beast Boy liking reading those heavy books and herbal tea? It didn't really make sense.

"Any idea how we can figure this all out?" Beast Boy asked her, a concerned expression on his face. "I mean, I love that we have so much more we enjoy doing together...but...I fell for who you really are, and I don't really want to see that change."

Raven blushed and sighed. "I know what you mean, Gar. While I'm glad to see you getting more...intellectual, I don't want you to change who you are."

They both sighed, lost in thought.

Raven was thinking. *Too bad I can't just ask Wisdom...she only knows what I know, although she usually sees it clearer than I do.*

Beast Boy blinked his eyes a bit. *Too bad I don't have a Wisdom. Maybe mine and Raven's could figure it out between them...*

Raven and Beast Boy turned to each other. "Did you just say something?" tehy asked simultaneously.

Raven blinked for a bit, then focused. *Beast Boy, can you hear me?*

"Of course I can hear you, Rae," he said, confused.

*Beast Boy...I'm not talking...and I'm not using my powers. You're hearing my thoughts.*

Beast Boy's eyes went wide. *You mean...* he started nervously, *our minds are linked or something?*

*It seems that way...* Raven glanced down, trying to work her way through what this meant.

Beast Boy, however, had read quite a lot of comic books, which gave him some pretty off the wall ideas about what was happening. *Maybe when we did...whatever happened that made us both so weak but healthy-*

*When you went pheonix,* Raven interrupted him.

*I turned into a pheonix? Sweet! I didn't know I could do that! I wonder what else...think about that later. Anyway, maybe when I went pheonix, we became sort of...mixed around. Metaphysically, anyway. It would explain the mind link, and now we're sort of...bleeding into each other through the link!*

*Beast Boy, that's the...* Raven paused her thought. *Actually, while your terminology is crude, that...might actually be what happened.* She shook her head. *But I don't see how that helps us fix it.*

*Well...if I'm becoming more like you, and our minds are linked...maybe if we go back to Nevermore, I'll have emoticlones like yours and they'll be there, too, through the mind link.*

Raven stared at him. *And why would that work?*

Beast Boy shrugged. *Because we need it to.*

Raven looked at the idea for a while. *It's worth a try, I suppose.* They headed to her room.

As Raven picked up the mirror, Beast Boy laid her hand on hers. "I'm pretty sure we need to do this part together for it to work."

Raven looked at him. Sometimes she had...instincts for her more complicated magical workings. Perhaps Beast Boy was developing something like that. "Okay, you know my mantra?" He nodded. "Chant it with me, while entering a meditative state. Can you do that?"

He nodded. "Ever since I discovered the Beast wasn't gone after Cyborg's antidote, I've been using that to control it." At her wide eyes, he chuckled. "What? You thought all I did in my room was sleep and read comic books?"

She blushed and found herself nodding. "I...I guess I didn't realize how much you thought about things. It was just...you always seemed so immature..."

"Raven, just because someone approaches a problem in a manner strange to you, doesn't mean they don't know what they're doing." He smiled. "All this magic stuff is really strange to me...but you know what you're doing and I trust you to do it right."

She smiled at him. "Thank you." They turned to the mirror, inhaled together, exhaled together...inhaled, and...

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos...Azarath Metrion Zinthos..."

The mirror glittered, first with black, then with green. Then the black and green swirled together, and the gateway opened, pulling them both in. 


	9. Chapter 9

Take Care of Me 9

Raven and Beast Boy landed softly in what looked like the middle of the jungle. Raven looked around nervously, but Beast Boy smiled. He knew this place. "THis way," he said, dragging Raven onward.

They made it out of the trees, and came across a grassy plain near a playground. Two figures were plainly visible on the playground. They got up there.

"Come on, BB," Happy was shouting out. "You gotta keep up."

Running up behind Happy was a Beast Boy who appeared...kittenish. "You won't get away! NYAH!"

Raven and Beast Boy stared at the pair. "And...you are?" Raven finally asked the kittenish Beast Boy.

"I'm Playful," he responded.

"I know that," Happy said. "But what's your name?"

THe two of them rolled around on the ground, laughing. Raven glowered down at them. "I don't suppose you can direct us to someone more helpful? Like Wisdom?"

"Did you need something?" Wisdom sits up from the tall grass nearby, pulling her brown robe up to cover herself.

"Wisdom! What...what are you doing?"

"Using my time wisely," Wisdom responds blandly, as a version of Beast Boy sits up next to her, appearing vaguely...lupine in aspect.

"Are...you Beast Boy's Wisdom?" Raven asked nervously.

"Not exactly," he replied incisively. "Wisdom is drawn from understanding the way things work and seeing through to a proper solution, based primarily in cultured Insight. I was developed from years scrimping and scrounging, just making it through from one day to the next. While Wisdom is educated, I am instinctive. YOu can call me Survival." Survival stood up, and every scar, bruise, and other injury Beast Boy had ever gotten in his life was plainly visible across the hard muscled body.

Wisdom was drooling a little as she stared at Survival.

Raven shook her head. Then she froze. "Where's Rage?"

Playful giggled. "She's with the Beast."

Happy laughed. "She mounted him like a Harley, and is ridding him like a stallion."

Raven and Beast Boy had terrified expressions on their faces...until the Beast came barreling through with Rage on his back, shouting, "Faster! Faster!"

Playful and Happy cracked up laughing. "What did you think I meant?" Happy asked breathlessly. "Azar, your face!"

Wisdom shook her head. "If you want to know what's going on, you should find Knowledge. She should be able to tell you what's going on."

Raven nodded. "And how will we find her?"

Happy smiled. "Just follow the Yellow Brick Road." She pointed.

Raven groaned, as did Beast Boy. There was an actual Yellow Brick Road. Sighing, they followed it, encountering the rest of the emotions along the way.

Raven flinched as something brown and sticky hit her in the face, filling the air with a horrible stench. She was afraid to touch it.

"Yo, Raven!" a monkeyish Beast Boy shouted from the side of the path. "YOu've got a little something on your face!" He hooted and hollered a while.

Nearby, Rude laughed. "Good one, Prankster."

Beast Boy carefully washed Raven's face off. Raven shuddered. "I don't want to know what that is, do I?"

"Definately not."

At one curve of the path, TImid flinched away from them. "Don't hurt me!"

A lion looking Beast Boy stepped out of the trees, to stand protectively in front of her. "DOn't worry, Timid. I'll protect you."

TImid smiled, pressing up to hide her face in the lion creature's back. "THank you, Courage."

Raven smiled. "YOu always are there for me, aren't you?" she asked Beast Boy.

He nodded. "Just like you are for me," he said, pointing to Brave on the other side of the road. She was gently cradling a shivering green bunny with Beast Boy's face, his eyes huge. "Your Bravery has always helped me to handle my Fear."

Hand in hand, Raven and Beast Boy continued down the path.

At the next curve, Lust came into view with another version of Beast Boy. This one had an almost inhuman beauty about him. His very presence seemed to emit the essence of sensuality and temptation, but there was something unearthly about the beauty. Then Raven saw his eyes. THe pupils were slitted, reptilian.

"Ssssomething I can do for you?" he asked, a forked tongue slipping out between his lips.

Lust held this Beast Boy's hand in hers, and they idly traced their fingers over the backs of each others hands.

Beast Boy smirked. "YOu know, since Wisdom and Survival were going at it, I thought our lusts would be even worse."

The serpentine Beast Boy shook his head. "Oh, Beasssst Boy...you know there's more to Dessssire than sssex." He turned a seductive smile on Lust. "Besssidessss...the foreplay isss half the fun."

Lust blushed, and pulled her hood up over her face.

Raven stared. "Beast Boy...your Desire just made the personification of my Lust blush in embarrassment."

"Woah," Beast Boy said. Then he smirked. "I'm good!"

Raven smacked him gently on the back of the head, and they raced down the path as Desire began to behave more suggestively towards Lust.

Finally, they arrived at a house at the end of the road. There, Knowledge was playing a game that looked sort of like chess - except not all the moves occured in three dimensions - against a green owl. The pieces seemed to move themselves as the players watched carefully.

Finally, the pieces stopped moving, and the owl spoke up. "Endgame," he said simply.

Knowledge shook her head. "Good game," she said ruefully. "That last manuever caught me by surprise."

THe owl shrugged his wings. "Your approach to these games is too limited by book learning: much of nth-dimensional chess is intuitive, an area you have much to learn in."

Knowledge nodded. "THanks for teaching me this game. It's most enjoyable. Can we play again?"

The owl shook his head. "We have visitors. They need our help, Knowledge."

Knowledge sighed. "YOu're right, Smrat." She turned to Raven and Beast Boy. "What can we do for you?"

Raven spoke up. "We're bleeding into each other, personality wise. How do we stop it?"

Smrat nodded. "To the point. Very well, we shall do likewise. If you wish to control how your minds interact, you must first control your minds."

Raven blinked. "And here I thought Wisdom was cryptic."

Knowledge shook her head. "He's not being cryptic." She pointed to the door of the house, which was pitch black. From inside the house, a strange howling could be heard. "There's a part of both of your minds that has never been touched, has never been faced. It is the origin of Rage, the origin of the Beast. For you, Raven, it is your demon side. For you, Beast Boy, it is the full extent of your primal instincts, all of them."

Smrat nodded. "Indeed. And-"

"Wait," Raven said, a thought occuring to her. "Shouldn't your name be Smart?"

"No, it's Smrat - S, M, R, A, T! Got it memorized?"

Raven looked at Beast Boy. "Only you, BB."

He laughed nervously, then addressed Knowledge. "So, if we face down and gain control of this part of ourselves, then we'll be able to stop the blending of personality that's happening?"

Knowledge nodded. "As is, the two of you are unable to function without the other in a metaphysical sense. For you to survive as two complete independent individuals, you must become two complete individuals."

"I never had this problem before," Raven commented defensively.

Smrat glared at the both of them. "You both had this problem all your lives. In you-" his head extended towards Raven, "-it caused what Beast Boy calls your 'power fits', even now that your father is no more. In you-" the head extended towards Beast Boy, "-it caused the destabilization of your DNA, as every animal instinct inside you tried to achieve dominance all at once. When you linked to each other, you were able to sustain each other. But it is causing the blending you mentioned, because you did not face the root cause of the problem."

Raven thought quietly for a while, unconciously backing away from the door. Beast Boy caught her.

"It's okay, Raven. I'm scared to. But remember," he held her gently, "we don't have to face it alone. We have each other."

Raven looked up into his eyes - when did he become taller than her - and nodded. Seized by a sudden impulse, she grabbed his face and pulled him into a passionate kiss. When they finally pulled back, she whispered, "For luck."

He nodded. "For luck." They walked towards the door and took hold of the doorknob together. Beast Boy grinned suddenly. "Much better than a penny, I gotta say."

"Oh, you," Raven said, as they opened the door and were swallowed into the darkness.

As Nevermore began to vanish, Knowledge turned to Smrat. "Do you think they'll manage it?"

Smrat shrugged. "I'd say it was a million-to-one shot...but it just might work. Besides, they have each other." 


	10. Chapter 10

Take Care of Me Final

The mirror on Raven's bed glowed, crackling with energy. Then it flared with a bright white light that filled the room. When the light faded, Raven and Beast Boy lay on the bed, clinging to each other, contented smiles on their faces. They opened their eyes and sat up. Their outfits had changed.

Beast Boy was now dressed in wat looked like black leather, but on closer inspection was the same material as his original hero outfit, which changed shape with him. The outfit was black pants and a jacket, leaving his chest bare. Old scars, once hidden, crisscrossed his chest. His hair had gotten a little longer, and his whole appearance was now much more rugged. His eyes now had a wilder appearance to them, more feral. Looking towards Raven, however, they filled with softness.

Raven was wearing a white backless unitard and a cloak, white on the inside black on the outside. Her hair was much longer, and her ees seemed to glow from within. Stretching luxuriantly, she flexed herself, and the cloak unfolded into large, batlike wings extending from her shoulderblades. Shifting herself a bit, the wings dissapeared into her back, and she turned to smile at Beast Boy.

"Looks like we did it," she said, smiling.

"Looks like," he said.

"So...we're complete now."

"Yeah."

They were silent for some time.

"Was it so bad?" Beast Bo asked suddenly. "Sharing like that?"

Raven thought for a time. "No...it wasn't. I...actually enjoed playing video games with you, once I knew what I was doing."

Beast Boy nodded. "And I had no idea how in depth some of our books got. It was like sinking into a whole other world."

They thought for a time. *And...* Raven began silently. *...I enjoyed this.*

*Me too...* Beast Boy replied in kind. *You know...just because we aren't bleeding into each other anymore...doesn't mean we can't still share things like this.*

*You know...it won't happen on its own...but if there's something about who we are we wwant to share with the other...there'd be nothing wrong with doing it this way, would there?*

Raven turned this over in her mind. *No...there wouldn't.* She smiled. "Come on. We've got a lot of work ahead of us."

"What's the rush?" Beast Boy said as he got up with her. "We've got nothing but time."

As they headed out, Raven turned to her beloved. "You know, somehow I have trouble thinking of you as Beast Boy now."

He nodded. "Yeah...I guess I need a new hero name." He thought for a time, then grinned. "Call me...Animal."

"Animal...it suits you." Raven smiled at Animal. "But you'll always be Gar to me."

"THat's just fine with me, Rae," he said putting his arm around her shoulders.

"Are you ever going to listen when I tell you not to call me that?"

"Not if I can help it."

THey laughed together as they left the room. Behind them, the mirror lay on the bed, forgotten. The glow of magic faded from it, its purpose fulfilled. Ever so briefly before its magic faded entirely, the face of a smiling young woman with purple hair and eyes was visible, watching the oung couple walk towards their future. 


End file.
